Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday inaugurated a 21-man peace committee that would interface between the host community, Ugborodo and the Federal Government on the 16 billion dollars Delta Gas City project located at Ogidigben.

Governor Uduaghan, inaugurating the committee in Asaba, explained that he laid the foundation for the truce between the parties that culminated in the peace committee.

According to him, he later handed over the peace process to the offices of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) to maintain his neutrality and give credibility to the process and its outcome.

Uduaghan disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan, as part of his transformation agenda, was committed to the successful completion and takeoff of the Ugborodo Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and would be flagging it off soon.

“With the setting up of this committee, the peace process in Ugborodo has to continue for the community to be at peace and for the community to get maximum benefit from the project which is over 16 billion dollars,” he said, adding: “In the next few days, the President will come and flag off the project.”

Governor Uduaghan informed that the project was initially to have been sited at Koko but had to be relocated to Ogidigben due to the shallow nature of the waterways at the initial location.

He commended President Jonathan and other Nigerians for allowing the project to remain in Delta State, noting that a lot of interests were on for the project to be moved to other states of the country.

While congratulating the different warring factions in Ugborodo for agreeing to toe the line of peace, Governor Uduaghan observed that the reconciliation of the warring factions that culminated in the setting up of the EPZ Interface Committee was a good development that would be beneficial to the Ugborodo Community, Itsekiri nation, Delta State and Nigeria at large.

Mr. Austin Oborogbeyi of the State Board of Internal Revenue is the chairman of the committee, with each of the two parties nominating 10 members, one of whom would serve as secretary.

Members of the committee are: Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Alex Eyengho, Prince Perry Atete, Ayiri Emami, Pullen Esimimajemite, Isaac Botosan, Sunday Omadeli-Uvwoh, John Edah, Mercy Olowu, Julius Atete, Dr Alex Ideh, David Tonwe, Dr Ayo Ayomike, Maxwell Egbele Okoro, Moses Ajijala, Betty Igbene, Mike Lodge, Tuoyor Ojogor, Elliot Totuoma Ukutse and Femi Wawah.

The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuyah (SAN), had, before the inauguration, given a report of the series of meetings called by IGP and the CNS, where the decision on the composition of the committee was reached.

In his remarks, Oborogbeyi, the committee chairman, said the issue of factions in Ugborodo was over as everybody in the community had resolved to live in peace and work for the progress of the community, the state and the country.

He thanked President Jonathan and Governor Uduaghan for their determination and commitment towards ensuring that the project went on unhindered during the period of the communal crisis, assuring that the committee would work assiduously towards restoring lasting peace in the area.

•Photo, from right, shows Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, his Deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama, and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuya, during the inauguration of the committee on Ogborodo Gas EPZ project held yesterday in Government House, Asaba.

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